Description:

Why This Role Is Valuable
The AVP, Counsel role will provide day-to-day legal support to the Hospitality Operational Team and will be tasked with addressing the legal needs of hotels of various service levels. This role will be expected to draft and negotiate contracts, complete analyses of legal issues and documents, interface with hotel and investment partners, manage outside counsel and compliance matters and assist with key aspects of the deal processes (onboarding hotel acquisitions and offboarding hotel dispositions). This role will be expected to forge substantive relationships throughout A Professional Corporate Services Company, Blackstone, and BRE Hotels, as well as with various external stakeholder groups. It will be essential for the person in this role to possess excellent business judgment and an ability to identify and communicate risk in a clear and concise manner, as well as an ability to produce creative proposed solutions to ensure that the reputation of Blackstone, A Professional Corporate Services Company, and BRE Hotels for reasonability and thoughtfulness is maintained.

This position will be based out of A Professional Corporate Services Company offices in either Chicago, IL or Dallas, TX; in addition, the candidate may sit within the offices of other portfolio companies from time to time.

How You Add Value

Deliver high quality and clear legal guidance as an integral part of a various real estate transactionally focused team and ensure Blackstone's legal priorities and initiatives are addressed.
Partner closely with investment professionals to explain and evaluate the legal risks of any transaction, whether they arise in transaction documentation, diligence, or otherwise.
Negotiate, write, analyze, review, catalog, and execute business agreements, contracts, and other legal agreements including hotel management agreements, franchise agreements, leases, development agreements and vendor contracts.
Address all aspects of business partner management.
Train and develop portfolio company deal teams to be sensitized to legal issues at the investment and organizational levels.
Create and implement policies and procedures; ensure adherence to governance, risk, and compliance programs.
Supervise outside counsel, when necessary or appropriate, and assume responsibility for quality and cost of outside legal representation.

What You Bring To The Role:
Required:

Juris Doctorate (JD) and actively licensed to practice in Texas.
Minimum of 5 years of relevant legal experience representing institutional clients.
Experience in a variety of commercial matters (transactions, leases, financings, etc.) and hospitality law.
Current/previous experience working as in-house counsel at a Hospitality/Hotel company, or outside counsel experience focused on Hospitality/Hotel clients, is desired.
Be a resourceful self-starter, routinely taking initiative.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to a variety of audiences.
Exceptional attention to detail.
Team player that can thrive and lead in a fast-paced, results-oriented work environment.
Excellent organizational and project management skills.
Flexibility to adapt to evolving business strategies, depending on market dynamics.
Adept in navigating and simplifying complex matters of law.
Contract review and negotiation experience.
Advanced computer skills in Excel, Word, Adobe, and email applications.
Travel: 10-20% (as needed).